SEAMANSHIP -- "heaving to"

[Ken Heyman]

This week-end we sailed in some pretty stiff winds (20 knot+)  (not rare for you guys in the Bay area) and just to see how the boat behaved I practiced heaving to. I was sailing with a reefed main and my jib furled to aprox. 100%. Prior to the maneuver I was sailing close hauled @ aprox 6 knots on a starboard tack. I tacked, kept the jib cleated, and locked the helm to starboard. After an initial "S" the boat settled down to aprox. 2 knots with a nice gentle motion in the four foot waves with the bow maybe 50 -60 degrees to the wind and waves. I suspect my eliptical rudder improved things.
I'm wondering how she would have performed in 40 knots of wind. Anybody tried this in "dire" circumstances?

Ken

[Ken Heyman]

corection to above----I was initially sailing on a port tack.

[Stephen Butler]

Have never seen 40 kts, but have done it in 30kts, gusting to 35 to 40kts, with just the reefed main and had no problems. The boat stayed at 3 kts, with a very moderate motion and miinimum water on deck.   However, it was still not an enjoyable experience given the circumstances; we have learned that our C34 is quite a bit stronger and able to withstand the elements, than we are...we listen to WX a lot more closely now!   

[Mark G]

We have seen more than 40 and I'm not sure I would want to heave-to. Lake Michigan is going to turn very ugly in conditions like that. It's time for the iron genny to get us where we need to go. We have heaved-to when it's blowing in the 20s, though. It's the best way to use the head, get organized or grab something to eat.

[Mike Vaccaro]

45-60 degrees off the wind is typical for a boat with a modern under-body, i.e., fin keel and spade rudder.  The boat will still heave-to, but with the bow lying that far off wind, the motion can get uncomfortable with increased wave size/wind speed, especially in steep short period waves common in shallow water.  Heaving to is a much more effective heavy weather strategy with a full-keel heavy displacement boat.  Modern boats of moderate displacement generally favor a more active tactic in moderate heavy weather.  Options include working slowly to windward under reduced sail and actively helming to avoid luffing or increasing speed excessively down the back of waves or bearing off under reduced sail/bare poles and actively helming.  Don't hesitate to start the auxillary if in doubt--motor sailing under reduced flat sail can be highly effective.   

Thanks for starting a thread with a seamanship topic--this is more critical than most discussions which always have to be viewed toward impact on the two most important maintenance concepts for a sailing vessel:  1.  Keep water out of the boat; and 2.  Make the boat go.  All other considerations are secondary (notwithstanding impact on family harmony aboard!).  A good set of seamanship skills is the single most important tool any sailor can possess.   

Cheers,

Mike

[Mark G]

And remember the first rule of storm sailing: Don't sail in storms.

[Ken Heyman]

Mike wrote:
The boat will still heave-to, but with the bow lying that far off wind, the motion can get uncomfortable with increased wave size/wind speed, especially in steep short period waves common in shallow water.  Heaving to is a much more effective heavy weather strategy with a full-keel heavy displacement boat. 

Interesting. I would have guessed that our C-34' particularly those with an elliptical rudder and a fin keel would point further into the wind than a full keel boat. As we are "relatively light we certainly may get bounced around a bit more (all else equal). I wonder if I had tweaked my jib a bit (let it out) and maybe further trimmed the main if I might have pointed further upwind. What do you think?

Ken

[Stu Jackson]

Ken

If you let your jib out more it'll negatively impact the heave to.  The best way to get set up for the heave to is to make sure you're close hauled to start off with.  Think of it this way:  you're pointing highest to begin with before you make the turn, so that you'll end up being pointed higher when you heave to.  If  you let out the back winded jib too much either by starting from a close reach or beam reach sail set, or let the jib out after you've turned from close hauled, the bow will fall off even more, which is exactly what you DON'T want to do.

I looked up some records from our cruise out the Golden Gate last November.  28 knot wind with 10 feet at 19 seconds over a 9 ft. swell as reported by NOAA on their historical database which we looked up on the computer when we got home.  We just hove to after heading close hauled and bobbed like a duck.

Another respondent above noted just using the main.  Some call that fore reaching, but depending on what you are doing, it's also a form of heaving to.

I've tried heaving to with all sorts of jib and main settings, but have determined this:

1.. Start with the jib as tight as you can make it.  For our 110 jib, it means that the clew and the jib sheet should be aft of the shrouds, which is obvious once you make the turn.  I must admit I've never sailed on a C34 with anything larger than a 130 jib, and that's been on other people's boats [where I have NOT asked them to heave to ]and I have NOT had experience in heaving to with a jib larger than the 110 on our boat, the 110 and 85 on our former C25, and the 110 on our former C22.

2.  Balance the boat with a combination of the main and the rudder position.  You can best balance the boat with the main and rudder and NOT the jib.  If the jib is out too far, you'll end up much more sideways to the wind and the trimming of the main will be less effective.

3.  I have always used both main and jib.  I have been unsuccessful in making the boat settle down with just the main and rudder.  I have tried it a few times, but admit that I have not been pursuing it actively, although I guess I could make it work, somehow.  It's a sailboat -- we sail it with both sails up, right size sails for the conditions and use the heave to for relaxation, and sometimes just for fun (i.e., watching Big Boat racing, Fleet Week, etc.)

Once you have made the turn, make the boat settle down by using the rudder to get the boat to slow down by pointing the back-winded jib into the wind.  Sometimes I've made the turn and gone too far and the boat kept going around!!!  You need the back-winded jib to slow down to about anywhere from 1 to 3 knots boat speed.  Do all this with the main where it was when you turned.  Then lock the rudder and play with the main to find the right "settle point."  Playing with the main:  first use the traveler, as you'll want the main as flat as you can make it.  After that use the sheet.  Keep the vang hardened.  Depending on the wind strength, you can then play the traveler, mainsheet and vang in that order and can use these controls to dump air off the main if necessary.

Also, if the wind isn't too gnarly, I've found the easiest way to get out of the heave to is to simply jibe around -- doesn't require popping the jib which can be loud and heavy to handle the new jib sheet when it goes.  We go heave-to to w&w downwind, then decide what esle to do.  Of course, ya gotta know how to work the main when it comes around.

[Ken Heyman]

Stu,

Actually I was quite pleased with our heave to performance. As stated in my post, we were close hauled prior to the tack. Additionally, the main was reefed and quite flat (depowered) and the rudder was "way" over but not so far as to ruin or stall it's dynamics. The motion was slow and comfortable. I was just curious as to Mike's comments re: full keel vs. our configurations and the effect of the differences. My jib trim question was related to sail balance. If I was rudderless and all else equal (it never is) I could steer with just the sails. Leeward='s tighter jib & looser main. Windward = trimming main & relaxing the jib. I thought these center of lift issues might apply to the heave to.
Thanks all for the input-----I guess it's no "luffing" matter---,

Ken

[Mike Vaccaro]

Ken,

You're definitely on the right track.  The C34 does heave-to well in moderate conditions.

With a modern underbelly, the boat tends to hunt more when hove-to.  Depending on wave action, this hunting can drive the boat to a fairly deep angle, putting her in a position where the waves can make motion uncomfortable. 

Here's some thoughts from experts:

From "Heavy Weather Sailing" by Adlard Coles (30th Anniversary Edition, Edited by Peter Bruce), p.157-58: 

"Traditional remedies best suit traditional boats.  When hove-to a yacht should lie about 50 degrees to the wind, but not all fin-keeled yachts will heave-to untended in a sea, probably because they lack underwater lateral area.  In particular, light-displacement yachts with high aspect ratio keels may not stay at a constant angle to the wind and can dance about while making great speed to leeward...Heaving-to is a time-honored and seamanlike tactic to employ in moderate to sever conditions, and owners of many craft may need no other.  However, owners of some modern yachts will find that heaving-to can become neither comfortable nor safe, and there is always the chance that any yacht lying hove-to can be caught by a large breaking wave."

A properly handled full-keel boat may produce a slick to windward that helps quell breaking waves that threaten her.  According to Steve Dashew "Few if any modern boats create a slick.  If you cannot run and don't have the crew to steer actively, heaving to allowing the boat to slowly forereach sometimes makes sense."  As a rule of thumb, you want to heave-to on the tack that keeps your bow pointed closest to the waves (to avoid being caught broadside).

From "Surviving the Storm" by Steve & Linda Dashew, pp. 319-21:

Effects of Sail Plan

"Sloops have a slightly more difficult time heaving-to because of their large mainsails, and that...when these are reefed their center of effort moves forward.  You may find that using that using the mainsail alone works best.  Sometimes the traveler will have to be let down, or the sail sheeted in reaching position, with the helm put up into the wind.  The jib can be backed against the main, but will have to be very small in area...
"If you are using a headsail while hove to for long periods of time it will be necessary to insure that the sail does not overlap any shrouds, or chafe will be a problem.  Likewise, sheets should be lead inboard of the cap [upper] shrouds, so they do not bear and chafe on the shrouds (typically, you can find a fair lead between the cap and lower shroud).

Practicing

"The easiest way to try heaving to initially is a simple tack, leaving the jib sheet cleated.  As you come about with full main and jib backed, the bow will swing off the wind.  On many yachts you will find the bow down at 60 or more degrees.  Next try bringing the helm to windward and see if that brings you closer to the wind.  If that doesn't do the job properly, this is a sign you need to reduce forward sail area.  On the other hand, if the boat heads too close to the wind and wants to tack, you will need to reduce sail area in the main...or increase sail area forward.  If your boat wants to round up and won't stay quietly to leeward, try easing out the main boom.  Sometimes a backed headsail working against a well eased main boom is all that is required for otherwise recalcitrant sloops.  Once you have a system established for this in light to moderate conditions, you can interpolate what refinements are required as the wind and seas increase."

Rules of Thumb
   
If the bow falls off [in danger of broaching]:
1.   Reduce sail forward
2.   Add sail aft
3.   Increase helm to windward

If the bow heads up [in danger of luffing]:
1.   Add sail forward
2.   Reduce sail aft
3.   Increase lee helm

Cheers,

Mike

[Ken Heyman]

Thanks Mike,

Interesting reading. I feel partially vindicated.

Ken

[Mike Smith]

I "heave to" all the time, not just in foul weather - although it is not a commonly known technique around here for some reason.  Anytime I need to stop the boat for a bit, I just tack over and set the wheel brake.  Then I can grab a cold one, grab Jan, take a bathroom break, or even eat lunch.  However, when I heave to, I can't count the number of times another boat will approach us and call out "You OK? - need some help?"

Mike